Smithsonian boosts Google Glass in featured exhibit

A Miami woman wears Google Glass to view an exhibit by artist David Datuna on Dec. 7 in the Design District neighborhood of Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky).

The iconic Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery is adding an exhibit featuring the newest artsy kid on the block: Google Glass.

This weekend, artist David Datuna's "Portrait of America" will be displayed, the first to require viewers to wear the invention that projects a small computer-like screen above a corner of a wearer's eye.

It ought to turn into a great marketing campaign for Google’s controversial viewer, since users will be offered the glasses in order to see deeper into his work, a 12-foot multimedia American flag in which interactive videos of American history are embedded.

For example, viewers will be able to see rare clips of Michael Jackson and former President John F. Kennedy.

According to Datuna's website, “Google Glass provides a seamless way for the artist to extend his vision to the viewer through instant access to information and advanced sharing capabilities. Using this Twenty-First Century tool, Datuna's visual language is fused with fragments of collective experience that define much of what is distinct in American culture. The themes provide not opinion, but a roadmap to identity and history, encouraging people to thoughtfully consider, ponder and respect individual viewpoints. The unique technological capabilities of Glass will add another dimension to the traditional pieces the artist has been creating for nearly a decade.”